681: Trough of Disillusionment
Brian, Jason, and Dave dive into the chaos of tech, media, and politics, covering everything from Elon Musk’s bizarre admission to paying people to play video games for him to Trump’s controversial pardon of Silk Road creator Ross Ulbricht. They discuss AI hype fading amid soaring costs, Amazon’s halted drone deliveries, Instagram’s political hashtag censorship, and Netflix’s latest price hike. Wrapping up with media nostalgia like Lilo & Stitch and music documentaries, plus cybersecurity insights from The Dark Side, this episode is packed with sharp commentary and humor.
In this episode, Brian and Jason kick things off by highlighting the troubling state of the gaming industry, with 11% of developers laid off in 2024, according to a GDC survey. Meanwhile, Elon Musk finds a new way to perplex us all by admitting he pays people to play video games for him.
They then unpack a whirlwind of news, including Trump’s controversial pardon of Silk Road creator Ross Ulbricht and his ongoing crusade against perceived social media bias. Elon Musk’s antics take center stage as he mocks America’s tech elite, clashes with Trump over the flashy “Stargate” AI project, and battles AI cost concerns as hype begins to wane. On the corporate front, Amazon halts drone deliveries after crashes, Instagram blocks political hashtags, and Neko, a body-scanning startup co-founded by Daniel Ek, secures a whopping $260M at a $1.8B valuation.
In media candy, the hosts revisit the charming chaos of the Lilo & Stitch franchise and dive into music documentaries like Yacht Rock and Echo in the Canyon. And let’s not forget Netflix’s price hikes and yet another mediocre Star Trek installment with Section 31. Dave wraps things up with The Dark Side, covering Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, ham radio tools, and even a shoutout to Morse code. Packed with biting commentary, this episode is a mix of tech absurdity, media nostalgia, and the trademark Grumpy Old Geeks snark!
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Show notes at https://gog.show/681
FOLLOW UP
Eleven percent of game developers were laid off in 2024, according to GDC survey
Elon Musk Admits to Paying People to Play Video Games for Him
IN THE NEWS
Joe Rogan, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos: Tech Titans, Celebs at Inauguration
Trump Orders Government to Stop ‘Trampling’ Conservatives on Social Media
Silk Road Mastermind Ross Ulbricht Seen Leaving Prison Holding a Small Plant
President Trump Pardons Silk Road Creator Ross Ulbricht After 11 Years in Prison
Elon Musk Plays DOGE Ball—and Hits America’s Geek Squad
Instagram blocked searches for #democrats and other political hashtags
Why You May Automatically Be Following Trump and Vance Now
AI-Generated Junk Science Is a Big Problem on Google Scholar, Research Suggests
What is the ‘Stargate’ AI project?
Trump Showing Love to Sam Altman Is Clearly Driving Elon Musk Into a Jealous Fury
Trump staff ‘furious’ after Musk trashes AI project
AI Hype Is Dropping Off a Cliff While Costs Soar, Experts Warn
Amazon puts its drone deliveries on hold following two crash incidents
‘Neo-Nazi Madness’: Meta’s Top AI Lawyer on Why He Fired the Company
Apple must face suit over alleged policy of underpaying female workers
Amazon to close Quebec facilities, but says it's not because of that new union
MEDIA CANDY
Lilo & Stitch 2 - Stitch Has a Glitch
Lolla: The Story of Lollapalloza
Netflix plans now cost between $8 and $25 after yet another subscription price hike
Everything to Remember Before Star Trek: Section 31
Section 31 Is a Mediocre Action Movie, and an Even Worse Star Trek One
Fail Better with David Duchovny - Catching Up with Gillian Anderson
James Cameron: Special Video Message at the SCSP AI+Robotics Summit
APPS & DOODADS
Developer Creates Infinite Maze That Traps AI Training Bots
Best Cooking Equipment for Meal Kits (2025), Tested and Reviewed
Trump Executive Order Generator
AT THE LIBRARY
The Breakthrough Effect by Douglas E. Richards
Not Till We Are Lost (Bobiverse Book 5) by Dennis E. Taylor
THE DARK SIDE WITH DAVE
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